Friday, October 12, 2012

Simple Fall Squash Roast with Citrus, Spice and Sage.

squash night roast

This simple fall squash roast is accented with citrus, spice and sage. Go on, pluck one of those scary-looking, bumpy, striped fall squash varieties out of the ominous bins at the supermarket. Yes that giant, hard piece of produce seems heavy and rock-like now. But in just a few hours you can easily turn it into a simply splendid side dish, or ingredient to accent an entree. This is my favorite recipe for spritzing up a roasted squash. Some spices, citrus and sage. A little sweet, very warm and totally cozy. Give it a whirl for a cozy-fest sort of night..

For fall, breakfast is easy, right? Well so is dinner! Just add roast squash. Boom. Fall recipe bliss

Simple Fall Squash Roast with Citrus, Spices and Sagevegan

cubed or whole squash**based on about 20 ounces of cubes. Adjust amounts as needed2-3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil (or try hazelnut oil!) or vegan buttery spread (omit salt if opting to use)1-2 Tbsp maple syrup2 tsp apple cider vinegar1 orange, juiced + pinch of fresh zest3-5 fresh sage leaves, tornsalt + pepper to taste ( a few pinches of each over top the surface of the squashcinnamon (lightly sprinkled over top)cayenne optional for a few dashes of heat)

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Cube squash OR Prep whole butternut squash by washing surface, then slicing in halves or quarters and removing seeds.

5. Cover dish lightly with foil-air vent. Place in 400 degree oven for 25 minutes. After 25 minutes are up, remove foil, turn oven to broil and lightly stir squash cubes. If using real squash, you can baste it in a bit more of the sauce sitting in the pan. Broil on high for 5-7 minutes, or until top starts to caramelize. Do not let broiler dry out your squash.

6. Remove squash. It should be tender and easily breakable with a fork. Allow whole squash halves to cool 15 minutes before scooping or slicing out the flesh. Serve in a bowl with a drizzle of the baking juices. Garnish with fresh sage leaves and pepper.